Yarn carrier tube



June 17, 1952 K. P. SPINDLER YARN CARRIER TUBE Filed Nov. 15, 1950 IN VEN TOR. K047 P1401. SP/NDLEQ Wm WW BYGZLJQJhW Patented June 17, 1952 YARN CARRIER TUBE Kurt Paul Spindler, Hasbrouck Heights, N. .L", as-

signor to Ernest A. Feustel, Inc., Lodi, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 15, 1950, Serial No. 195,817 2, Claims. (01. 66-126) The movement of the carriers can only be per-' formed if the field is clear, that is if the sinkers are properly retracted. If the timed relation between the movements of the carriers and the motion of the sinkers imparted by the catch bar is disturbed, the tubes of the carriers will damage all the sinkers contacted in this manner. In addition, at the end of a stroke, the carriers must come to rest between tWo of the sinkers with only slight clearance between the sinkers and the carrier tubes. If the carrier stops are not properly adjusted or become misaligned, the carrier tubes will invariably strike and damage a sinker. While damaged sinkers can be readily replaced, the machine under normal operating conditions, can not be stopped quickly enough and, if the damaged 'sinkers are retracted into the guides one or more times, the slots will be ruined. Sometimes the damaged sinkers will jam in the slots causing damage beyond immediate repair.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide carrier tubes so designed that no damage to the sinkers can occur when the tubes are brought into contact therewith.

Another object is to create tubes of such design that there is no rotatable movement of the tubes relative to the carriers.

It is also an object of the instant invention to decrease costs in the manufacture of knitted goods.

Other objects of the instant invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

In the attainment of these objectives; the improved tubes are made in four embodiments. In the first embodiment, the tips of the tubes protruding from the carriers are made fracturable by circumferentially undercutting the protruding ends. tubes are made fracturable by providing reduced area portions on opposite sides of the protruding ends of the tubes. In the third embodiment of the improved tubes, the tubes are prevented from rotating in the carriers while the free ends are beveled. In the fourth embodiment, the tubes are also prevented from rotating in the carriers and have beveled free ends but the cross sections In the second embodiment, the improved of the tubes in the fourth embodiment are substantially different from those in the third embodiment.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description When taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing by way of example the preferred embodiments of the inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figures 1 through 4 show the first embodiment of the improved carrier tubes constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of one of the tubes with a carrier and a sinker;

Figure 2 is a front view of the carrier, tube, and sinker along 2--2 of Figure l but on an enlarged scale Figure '3 is an elevational view of the tube shown in Figure 1 and also on an enlarged scale; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view along 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figures 5 through 7 show the second embodiment of the improved tube and in which:

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the improved tube;

Figure 6 is a sectional view along 65 of Figure 5; and

Figure '7 is a sectional view along 'l'l of Figure 5.

Figures 8 through 11 show the third embodiment of the improved tube, and in which:

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a carrier with the tube inserted;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the carrier and tube shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a sectional view along lfilil of Figure 9, but on an enlarged scale; and

Figure 11 is a sectional view along H-l| of Figure 9, also enlarged.

Figures 12 through 16 show the fourth embodiment of the improved tube, and in which:

Figure 12 is a side elevational view of the improved tube;

Figure 13 is a top view of the improved tube shown in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a sectional view along l t- 44 of Figure 12;

Figure 15 is a sectional view along I5-l5 of Figure 12; and

Figure 16 is a sectional view along l6l6 of Figure 12.

Referring now in greater detail to the first embodiment of the improved carrier tube shown in Figures 1 through 4 where like reference numerals indicate like parts, reference numeral l indicates the carrier, II the sinker, and i2 the carrier tube.

The carriers are of known type having two opposed jaw members l3 and M (Fig. 2) which extend downwardly as described in detail in Patent No. 2,250,158, issued July 22, 1941.

The sinkers H are also of known type and are retractile in guides. The motion of the sinkers imparted by the known catch bar is synchronized with the movements of the carriers while known stops are provided to bring the carriers at the ends of the strokes to rest between two of the sinkers with very little clearance available between the sinkers and the tubes.

Each improved carrier tube l2, removably inserted between the opposed jaws of the carriers, is an elongated rigid body having an upper portion l5 and an integrally formed lower portion l6 as shown in Figure 3. Longitudinally extending through both portions of the tube is a bore I! while a fracturable area is formed in the lower portion l6 by the circumferential undercut I8.

In operation, the improved tube |2 is inserted between the jaw members l3 and H5 in the usual manner with the lower portion l8 protruding below the end of the carrier. The tube I2 is held by the jaws against longitudinal movement by the known spring described in detail in the previously mentioned Patent No. 2,250,158. If some of the sinkers are not properly retracted or if the positionary stops for the carriers are not properly adjusted, the coacting tubes l2 coming in contact with the sinkers will break around the under cut I8 without damage to the sinkers and related parts. By removing the broken tube or tubes and inserting new tubes, the

machine is quickly made ready to continue operations.

In the second embodiment of the improved tube shown in Figures 5 through '7 reference numeral indicates the tube.

The carriers and sinkers with which the tubes 30 are associated are identical with the carriers and sinkers previously described for the first embodiment.

The tubes 30 removably inserted between the opposed jaws of the carriers are elongated rigid bodies similar to the tube bodies also previously described except for the integrally formed lower portions 3| which have two recesses 32 and 33 formed on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line with the longitudinal bore 34 passing therebetween. In each recess and communicating with the bore are similar openings or windows 35, one of which is shown in Figure 6.

In operation, the lower sections 3| of the tubes when inserted in the yarn carrier protrude from the ends of the carrier jaws. Of course, the reduced material around the recesses provides a readily fracturable area for the tubes when striking a sinker whether the plane of the recesses be perpendicular or parallel to the direction of the striking force. 7

In the third embodiment of the improved tube shown in Figures 8 through 11, reference numeral indicates the yarn carrier, and 4| the safety tube.

The carrier 40 is the same as the previously mentioned carrier of the first embodiment except in the form of the longitudinal slot between the jaw members 42 and 43. In the first embodiment. the coacting slots in the jaw members was of semi-circular cross section to coact with the tube of circular cross section. However, between the jaws 42 and 43 the slots or slideways are of elliptical cross section to coact with tube 4| having an upper portion of elliptical cross section as described in the following paragraph.

The tube 4| has an upper portion 44 of elliptical cross section (Fig. 10) while the integrally formed lower portion 45, that is the portion protruding beyond the end of the jaws has a circular cross section (Fig. 11) The free end of the tube is beveled as most clearly shown in Figure 8 for certain applications, the bevel extending outwardly and downwardly from the carrier. Of course, the lower portion may be provided with any suitable fracturable means as in the first two embodiments.

The operation with the tube 4| of the third embodiment is substantially the same as that described under the first embodiment. By using the elliptical form for the upper portion of the tube 4| the tube is prevented from rotating about the axis thereof to keep it at all times in the same position relative to the yarn carrier to which it is attached. The tube 4| is further prevented from rotating by the inclusion of the longitudinally disposed fins 46 and 41 which are inserted between the coacting ends of the jaw members as shown in Figure 10.

In the fourth embodiment of the improved tube shown in Figures 12 through 16 reference numeral 50 indicates the tube.

The carriers and sinkers coacting with the tubes 50 are the same as described in connection with the first embodiment.

The tube 58 is substantially the same as the tube 4| of the third embodiment except that the upper portion of the tube '50 is of circular cross section having the integrally formed fins 5| and 52 longitudinally disposed therealong and integrally formed therewith which facilitate the proper insertion of the tube into the jaw members. The fins of course are inserted between the jaw members in the manner shown in the previously mentioned Figure 10. In addition, the opposed recesses in the jaws for the reception of the tube 59 are of circular cross section. The integrally formed lower portion 53 of the tube at is of elliptical form in cross section, the minor axis adjacent the upper portion being substantially greater than at the tapered end as illustrated.

The operation with the improved tube of the fourth embodiment is substantially the same as that described under the first embodiment. The end of the lower portion 53 may be beveled outwardly and downwardly as in the fourth embodiment and anysuitable means may be used for fracturing the lower portion as described in the first two embodiments.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact disclosure herein described but may lend itself to a variety of expressions within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A safety tube for a yarn carrier of a knitting machine, said yarn carrier being of the type having opposed jaw members carrying the safety tube, said safety tube comprising a lower portion projecting beyond the jaw members and having a section of reduced cross-sectional area to form a weak fracturable area, said fracturable area having a circumferential undercut formed therearound.

2. A safety tube for a yarn carrier of a knitting machine, said yarn carrier being of the type REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

Number UNITED STA'I'ES PA'mu'rs Name 7 Date Pilkington Sept. 9, 1930 Anderson June 17, 1941 Smetana July 29, 1941 Feustel Mar. 10, 1942 Feustel July '7, 1942 Friedman Dec. 9, 1947 

